Friction-lock.



No. 843,258. PATENTED FEB. 5, 1907.

W. A. BARKER.

FRICTION LOCK.

APPLIOATION TILED MAY 21. 1906.

21/25 5 45 ,1. 9 r 51 I: a pl.

Maw, mm

.Q/ M a flM wv UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WENDELL A. BARKER, or CHICAGQILLINOIS.

FRICTION-LOCK.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 5, 1907.

Application filed May 21, 1906. Serial No. 317,952.

. Improvements in FrictionLocks, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates particularly to a device for controlling the movement of vehicles, and has for one of its objects to provide a niechanisnrwhich will prevent the swerving of the vehicle steeringavheels should one or both of them strike an obstacle or irregularity in the roadsurface, and it further prevents any jar upon the wheels from being transmitted to the steeringavheel, thereby relieving the operator from a continuous strain when traveling over a rough road-bed, nor is my device alone applicable to a steering mechanism for vehicles, but may be used with great advantage on throttle-valves or like mechanical appliances Where perinanency is required of the mechanism after being set by the controlling-lever; and, in general, it consists of a device that will instantly and automatimtlly lock itself against any,

movement of tie parts to be controlled.

1 n the drawings, Figure 1 is a top plan view of my device with actuating-rod for the same broken away. Fig. 2 is a top plan view with the rack-bar and gears for actuating the same removed. vation with parts broken away and. other parts in section, and Fig. 4 is a cross-section on the line 4 4 of Fig. 0.

5 represents a connecting or controlling rod provided at one end with the ball-joint 6, adapted to be connected to a steeringknuckle or the like on a vehicle and carrying a block '7, two sides ol which each form inclined planes lying in opposite directions,

as shown at 8, 9, l0, and 11, one end of said block being recessed, as shown at 12, to receive the end 13 ol" the controlling-rod,

adaptcdio 'lit therein and secured by a pin 14.

l5, 1G, 17, and 18 are wcdge-sbapml blocks the length oi any two being less than the length oi the block 7 and the inner faces of 5 which form inclined planes on the same angle as the planes 8, 9, 10, and 11. Two of said wedges are positioned on either side of said block, and interposed between each pair are the springs 19 and 20 to normally press their small ends slightly beyond the ends of said block.

Fig. 3 is a side elewhich the controlling-r0 d, block, and wedges travel, the sides 23 and 2 4 of said recess being parallel to each other and to the outer 1 faces 25 and 26 of the wedges to have a iric tional engagement therewith, and to pre serve a true alinement of the parts-within the recess I form ribs 27 and 28 upon the parallel grooves 29 and30, formed in the sides of the recess. 1

Fitting withinthe recess in the casing and adapted to slide therein is a releasing member or rack-bar 31, provided with the teeth 32, intermeshing with the gear-wheel 33, which is keyed upon an axle 34, journaled in a casing 35, which is secured to the casing 21 by the bolts 36. Oneside of the gear-Wheel 33 is provided with a toothed face 37, adapted to interinesh with the bevel gear-Wheel 38, which is rigidly mounted upon and rotated mounted, said rod having a bearing 40 in a projecting arm 41, formed integral-1y with the casing 35. member there aredepending lugs 42 and 43, preferably formed integrally therewith and cut away, as shown at 44, to "pass over the controlling-rod and fall below the outer ends ol the wedges to come in contact with their small ends on a movement of the releasing member in either direction.

On one end of the casing 21,- 1 form a neck portion 45, apertured to all'ord a journalbearing 46 forthe co:itrolling-rod and slightly out away,-as shown at 47, to provil'le a pack- I l l l l l l 1ng-l ox 48, said neck portion being extel riorly threaded-to receive a nut 49, centrally i apertured, as shown at 50, to permit the controlling "dto pass theretln'ough, and in orde'r tolacilitate the ready assembling ol" my l device I form one end 01" the casing 21 separate therelro n, as shown at 51 and secure said end tose-idcasinghythe bolts 52. lprel'cr to g construct the gear-wluwl-'33 somewhat larger than is necessary to move the releasing 111.0111- 1 her its l ull lerglh and -provide said wheel and axle 34 with registering keywzrys 53, adopted gears bec-zm'e worn. a new series of teeth may be presented to operate the releasing nie'znber by keying the gear on the axle at a dillerent position, said gear being of suflicient circu1nierence to provide three series of teeth for operating said releasing member, assurnin my devlce 1s suitably connected to a vehicle by 21 is a casing having 'a'recess 22, Within faces of the wedges, adapted to run in the by the rod 39, upon which a steering-wheel is At both ends of the releasing to receive a-key-pin 54=,'so that when the rigidly connecting the casings 21 and 35 to the vehicle-body or like support and further connecting the controlling-rod by means of the ball-joint to the steering knuckle on a Wheel or any other suitable connection to the- Wheel. The operation of my device is as followsi Rotating the gear-wheel 33, as shown in Fig. 3, from right, to left, the releasing member will be moved to the right when the depending lug 42 comes in contact with the small ends of the Wedges-15 and 16, moving the same down the inclined planes on the block 7 until the lug comes in contact with the block itself, whereupon the frictional enga ement between the Wedges 15 and 16, the and the sides of the recess is relieved and the v block moves readilyforward. -I his move' ment .also relieves the friction from the wedges 17 and 18. Consequently the controllingerod is moved forward,iwhich imparts a corresponding movement to the Wheels, the reverse movement and operation being identical, except that the Wedges 17- and 18-are moved upon the inclined planes on the block until the lug 43 comes'in contact therewith,

and the-controlling-rod isdrawn backward. The Wedges are normally in a wedged position, audit is not until one of the lugs comes in contact With their small ends that the coir? trolling-rod may be, moved. Consequently any pull or pressure upon the operating end Y of the controlling/{mod from which it is at tached to the bloc would fail to move it from its wedged position, and therefore any olistacles in theroad Wohld fail to: deviate the Wheels from their true course; i

It is obvious that various changes might be made in my invention. withoutde arting irom the broad general principles, ancl thereore r Without limiting myself to the precise dB- tails of construction, what I claim is-'- 1; The combination with a connecting or v to said block, 'a-casmg inclosing said block and wedge members, a'series of springs interposed between said Wedges to normallypress them against said block and casing, and a re-f leasing member adapted by its initial movement to release the Wedges and by a further traverse to move the controllingrod, substantially as described;

3. The combination with a connecting or controlling rod, of a friction-lock therefor, I

' said lock comprising a block, having inclined surfaces, attached to said rod, wedge members having corresponding inclined surfaces to said block. a casing inclosin'g said block and wedge members, a series of springs interposed between said Wedges to normally press; them against said block and casing, and a movable releasing member provided with lugs adapted to be moved into contact with said wedge and block members, to release the wedges, and by a further traverse to move the controlling-rod," substantially as described. v

4. The combination with a connecting or controlling red, of a friction-loci; therefor,

surfaces, and attached to said rod, wedge members having registering inclined surfaces with the inclined surfaces on said block, a

casing inc-losing said block and wedges,-

springs interposed between said wedges to normally press them against said block and casing, a releasing member provided with lugs, and means for moving said releasing member into contact with said wedge and block members to release the wedges and by a further traverse to move the controllingr'od,' substantially as described.

' 5. The combination with a' connecting or controlling red, of a frictionelock therefor, said lock comprisin a block having inclined surfaces and ,attac ed to said rod, wedge members having inclined and parallel sur dinal ribsoi the parallel surfaces, a casing incloslng said'block'and wedges,, grooves m the SlClE'S of said casing in'which said ribs are adapted to slide, springs interposed between said wedges to normally press-them against said'block and easing, a releasing member provided with lugs, 'means for moving said releasing member whereby the lugs are brought into contact with the small ends of said Wedge'members to release the wedges,

and bya further traverse to move the core trolling-rod, substantially as described. ;WE NDELL A. BARKER.

Witnesses: I v I Fannnnmrc (l Goonw n. JAMES RO'FFIELD.

' said lock comprising a.block,having inclined faces, said inclined surfaces registering with the inclined surfaces on'saitl block, long1tu-- TIC 

